Newton's Laws Legacy Problem #6 Guided Solution
Problem*
Captain John Stapp of the U.S. Air Force tested the human limits of acceleration by riding on a rocket sled of his own design, known as the Gee Whiz, What net force would be required to accelerate the 82-kg Stapp at 450 m/s/s (the highest acceleration tested by Stapp)?
Audio Guided Solution
If you ever get a chance to read about the legendary John Stapp's test of human endurance of acceleration, you've got to do that because they're quite interesting. Here what we're asked is to determine the amount of net force that would cause an acceleration of 450 meters per second per second of this 82 kilogram captain. So we've got a mass and we have an acceleration given, we're asked to calculate a net force. And the equation that relates them is one of the most fundamental equations in mechanics that go F net equals ma. So now the math becomes straightforward, we have the mass, 82 kilograms, we have the a, 450 meters per second per second, multiply and you have your net force.
Solution
37000 N (rounded from 36900 N)
Habbits of an Effective Problem Solver
- Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
- Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., \(v_o = \units{0}{\unitfrac{m}{s}}\); \(a = \units{4.2}{\unitfrac{m}{s^2}}\); \(v_f = \units{22.9}{\unitfrac{m}{s}}\); \(d = \colorbox{gray}{Unknown}\).
- Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
- Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
- Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.
Read About It!
Get more information on the topic of Newton's Laws at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.